December's Consumer Reports: Gadgets, Gear, and Hospice & Palliative Care

The December issue of Consumer reports is truly amazing. It’s filled with articles to help consumers find the right headphones, smart phones, and smart watches. One hot new piece of gear that is rated quite highly by consumer reports in this issue is something you may have heard about once or twice before, Hospice and Palliative Care.

You can access the for free all of the articles on their website at this link. This is a really well thought out webpage that is written by consumers, for consumers and includes the following resources:

The story of Paul Scheier's life and death: The website includes a 17 minute long video that discusses the importance of hospice and palliative medicine, addresses myths often connected to these programs, and includes a tear shedding journey of Paul’s life and death.
A guide on how to pick a hospice
Advice about advance directives including a link to an app by the American Bar Association called My Health Care Wishes (Android and iOS) that lets you store advance directives and related legal documents on your mobile device.
A section on "when things go wrong" that includes a link to the American Geriatrics Society's Health in Aging Foundation to help consumers find a geriatrician!

by: Eric Widera (@ewidera)

Comments

MaryAnn Misenhimer said…

Eric, Great review. I just got my CR yesterday. My only criticism is, "They buried (pun NOT intentional) the lead!!" NO reference at all to H & PC till you get inside. That said, it will certainly help get the word further out. Thanks.

November 5, 2014 at 11:21 AM

Lost in Translation: Google’s Translation of Palliative Care to ‘Do-Nothing Care’

by: Cynthia X. Pan, MD, FACP, AGSF (@Cxpan5X)

My colleagues often ask me: “Why are Chinese patients so resistant to hospice and palliative care?” “Why are they so unrealistic?” “Don’t they understand that death is part of life?” “Is it true that with Chinese patients you cannot discuss advance directives?”

As a Chinese speaking geriatrician and palliative care physician practicing in Flushing, NY, I have cared for countless Chinese patients with serious illnesses or at end of life. Invariably, when Chinese patients or families see me, they ask me if I speak Chinese. When I reply “I do” in Mandarin, the relief and instant trust I see on their faces make my day meaningful and worthwhile.

At my hospital, the patient population is about 30% Asian, with the majority of these being Chinese. Most of these patients require language interpretation. It becomes an interesting challenge and opportunity, as we often need to discuss advance directives, goals of care, and end of life care options…

Elderhood: Podcast with Louise Aronson

In this week's podcast we talk with Louise Aronson MD, MFA, Professor of Geriatrics at UCSF about her new book Elderhood, available for purchase now for delivery on the release date June 11th.

We are one of the first to interview Louise, as she has interviews scheduled with other lesser media outlets to follow (CBS This Morning and Fresh Air with Terry...somebody).

This book is tremendously rich, covering a history of aging/geriatrics, Louise's own journey as a geriatrician facing burnout, aging and death of family of Louise's members, insightful stories of patients, and more.

We focus therefore on the 3 main things we think our listeners and readers will be interested in.

First - why the word "Elder" and "Elderhood" when JAGS/AGS and others recently decided that the preferred terminology was "older adult"?

Second - Robert Butler coined the term ageism in 1969 - where do we see ageism in contemporary writing/thinking? We focus on Louise's…

Psychedelics: Podcast with Ira Byock

In this week's podcast, we talk with Dr. Ira Byock, a leading palliative care physician, author, and public advocate for improving care through the end of life.

Ira Byock wrote a provocative and compelling paper in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management titled, "Taking Psychedelics Seriously."

In this podcast we challenge Ira Byock about the use of psychedelics for patients with serious and life-limiting illness. Guest host Josh Biddle (UCSF Palliative care fellow) asks, "Should clinicians who prescribe psychedelics try them first to understand what their patient's are going through?" The answer is "yes" -- read or listen on for more!

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Eric: Welcome to the GeriPal Podcast. This is Eric Widera.

Alex: This is Alex Smith.

Eric: Alex, I spy someone in our …

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